Local teen top journalist in the state

Lauren Stepp, editor in chief of Wingspan, the West Henderson High student publication, looks for items to enter into a clip contest on Tuesday. Stepp was named the North Carolina Journalist of the Year.

MIKE DIRKS/TIMES-NEWS

By Molly McGowanTimes-News Staff Writer

Published: Wednesday, April 9, 2014 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, April 9, 2014 at 12:03 a.m.

When Lauren Stepp, a senior at West Henderson High, shouldered the task of completely redesigning the school’s award-winning newspaper this year, she knew it would take a lot of effort.

Now, Stepp feels the initiative she showed in revamping Wingspan helped her win the North Carolina High School Journalist of the Year award, which is co-sponsored by the N.C. Scholastic Media Association, N.C. Press Foundation and the Journalism Education Association.

Representing North Carolina, Stepp is in the running for the National High School Journalist of the Year award, which will be announced April 13 at a Journalism Education Association convention in San Diego, Calif.

Stepp has written for Wingspan since her freshman year at West, and began freelancing with the Hendersonville Lightning in August 2013.

This year, as editor in chief of Wingspan, Stepp led the charge in overhauling the student newspaper, transitioning from a broadsheet newspaper to a glossy-print, news tabloid.

“I found that students weren’t responding to it,” she said.

“We had been a broadsheet newspaper for 18 years,” added Brenda Gorsuch, a journalism and English literature teacher at West and the school’s newspaper and yearbook adviser.

“I loved broadsheet newspaper, but the kids weren’t reading it,” she said. “(Stepp) did the research on what young adults like reading. And then she went and found the advertising dollars to fund it.”

Gorsuch explained that Wingspan’s new format — while more appealing to its young target audience — is twice the cost of the broadsheet version. But it seems the change was worth it.

“Readership’s gone up,” Gorsuch said.

The school newspaper’s transformation was evident in the writing and design samples Stepp included in the portfolio she submitted for the state award. She also included her freelance writing work.

Monica Hill, director of the N.C. Scholastic Media Association, said the judges carefully consider contestant portfolios, and take into account the various forms of media each student submits.

“They’re looking holistically at the portfolio... at the breadth and the depth of the student as a high school journalist,” said Hill.

Stepp figures it improved her portfolio to include examples from both Wingspan and The Lightning and demonstrated “my commitment to journalism in the past four years, within the realm of West Henderson and outside of it.”

It also didn’t hurt that Stepp was chosen to attend last summer’s Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

“Competing against other North Carolina candidates really set me apart,” said Stepp.

“She represented North Carolina,” said Gorsuch.

Stepp plans to attend the University of North Carolina in Charlotte on a full scholarship through the Levine Scholars Program.

<p>When Lauren Stepp, a senior at West Henderson High, shouldered the task of completely redesigning the school's award-winning newspaper this year, she knew it would take a lot of effort.</p><p>Now, Stepp feels the initiative she showed in revamping Wingspan helped her win the North Carolina High School Journalist of the Year award, which is co-sponsored by the N.C. Scholastic Media Association, N.C. Press Foundation and the Journalism Education Association.</p><p>Representing North Carolina, Stepp is in the running for the National High School Journalist of the Year award, which will be announced April 13 at a Journalism Education Association convention in San Diego, Calif.</p><p>Stepp has written for Wingspan since her freshman year at West, and began freelancing with the Hendersonville Lightning in August 2013.</p><p>This year, as editor in chief of Wingspan, Stepp led the charge in overhauling the student newspaper, transitioning from a broadsheet newspaper to a glossy-print, news tabloid.</p><p>“I found that students weren't responding to it,” she said.</p><p>“We had been a broadsheet newspaper for 18 years,” added Brenda Gorsuch, a journalism and English literature teacher at West and the school's newspaper and yearbook adviser.</p><p>“I loved broadsheet newspaper, but the kids weren't reading it,” she said. “(Stepp) did the research on what young adults like reading. And then she went and found the advertising dollars to fund it.”</p><p>Gorsuch explained that Wingspan's new format — while more appealing to its young target audience — is twice the cost of the broadsheet version. But it seems the change was worth it.</p><p>“Readership's gone up,” Gorsuch said.</p><p>The school newspaper's transformation was evident in the writing and design samples Stepp included in the portfolio she submitted for the state award. She also included her freelance writing work.</p><p>Monica Hill, director of the N.C. Scholastic Media Association, said the judges carefully consider contestant portfolios, and take into account the various forms of media each student submits.</p><p>“They're looking holistically at the portfolio... at the breadth and the depth of the student as a high school journalist,” said Hill.</p><p>Stepp figures it improved her portfolio to include examples from both Wingspan and The Lightning and demonstrated “my commitment to journalism in the past four years, within the realm of West Henderson and outside of it.”</p><p>It also didn't hurt that Stepp was chosen to attend last summer's Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.</p><p>“Competing against other North Carolina candidates really set me apart,” said Stepp.</p><p>“She represented North Carolina,” said Gorsuch.</p><p>Stepp plans to attend the University of North Carolina in Charlotte on a full scholarship through the Levine Scholars Program.</p><p>Reach McGowan at 828-694-7871 or molly.mcgowan@blueridgenow.com.</p>